Hand brake for railway cars



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R. W. BURNETT HAND BRAKE E OR RAILWAY CARS Filed July 2l. 1919 5Sheets-Shree?, l

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`Fume 19, 1923. v 1,459,650

R. w. BURNETT HAND BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed July 21 1919 3Sheets-Sheet, 2

June 19, 1923.

R. w. BURNETT HAND BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed July 2l 1919 3Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented `lune 19, 1923.

UNTTF@ STATES RICHARD WEBB'B'UJRNETT, .0F CHICAG, ILJLNIS.

naam enana ron RAILWAY cans.

Application filed `l'uly 21J To Illu-710m it may concern.'

Bc it known that l, RICHARD Trim BUR- Nn'l'r, a citizen of the UnitedStates. residing at Chicago, in the count)7 of Cook and Stateoflllinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in HandBrakes for Railway Cars, of which the tollowing is a full, clear,concise. and exact description. reference being hadto the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part ot this specific-ation.

This invention relates to improvements in hand brakes for railway cars.

As is wcll known, the general practice in the art of hand brakes forrailway cars is to employ a vertical brake stati with a'hand wheel atthe top thereof and a ratchetwheel and locking dog. the latter heiligoperated by thc brakemans foot while standing on the platform. Due tothe heavier cars, heavier loading. and increased speed in handling offreight cars. thc old form of handv brake is proving inadequate for thereason that it is diflicult for the brakeman to obtain a suiiicientleverage in applying the brakes, to stop the cars quickly enough Whilespotting them in the yards.

Numerous attempts have, of course, been made to overcome thisdiiiicultyl and to abtain greater leverage ratio. in applying thebrakes. `While increased leverage ratio vhas been obtained by some olthe later forms ot hand brakes, the same has generally been done .at theexpense of speed in operation and particularly with respect to thetaklng up ot the usual slack in the brake chains before the brakes areactually applied. Some of the later forms ot' brakes-for railway carshave involved the use of gearing so arranged that the slack of the chainis taken up at high s eed with a low leverage ratio and therea ter,either automaticallyor by the brakeman manipulating a shitting devlce,the brake is applied at a. slower speed but higher leverage ratio. 'The`later constructions are subject to criticism on the ground that thechange `from the high speed low levorage ratio to the slow speed highleverage ratio is accomplished suddenly and oftentimes at a point in theapplication of the brake where the high leverage ratio application isnot obtained quickly enough or occurs at too late a time in the settingof the brakes.

The object of my invention is to provide a -h igh speed low 1919.Seri-a1 No. 312,173.

hand'brake for'railway cars wherein the power applied by the brakeman'isgradually and automatically changed from an initial leverage ratioapplication of the -power to a higher leverage ratio application of thepower at slower speed so as to thereby obtain the maximum speed inapplying the brake with greatest efiiciency in the application thereofthroughout the entire operation.

The invention furthermore consists in the improvements in the parts anddevices and inthe novel combination of the parts and devices hereinshown, described and made the subject matter of the claims.

nthe drawings forming apart of this specification, Figure 1 is a brokenend elevational view of a box car showing my improvements inconnectiontherewith. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view takensubstantially on the line 2 2 ota Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a verticalsectionalview taken substan- 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional Viewcorresponding substantially to the section line 4-4 of Fig. Fig. 5 is aview similar to Fig. 1 illustrating another embodiment ot my invention.Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view -taken substantially onthe line 6-6 or" Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional viewcorresponding substantially to the line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a Viewsimilar to Figs. 1 and 5 llustrating a still further embodiment of vtheinvention. And Fig. 9 is a side elevational View, upon an enlarged scaleof a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8.

Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional view of the mechanism shown in Fig.8.

fer-ring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, 10denotes the end wall of a box car, 11 the roof thereof and l2 the usualplatform for the brakemans use when applying the brakes. In this form otmy invention, the brake chain 13 is brought around a pulley or sheave-Wheel 14 mounted in suitable brackets 15 applied tothe end wall of rthecar. The brakes are applied in the usual manner by means of a hand Wheel16 secured to the upper end of a relatively short vertical brake statt17. rThe latter is provided with the usual ratchet wheel 18 with whichcooperates a foot controlled pivoted locking dog 19 located immediatelyabove tlm YJatform 12 in the usual manner.

tiall)7 on the line detail horizontal gear 22 -.br'ale sta 17 isextended a short Idistance below the platform 12 and at its lowerend'has secured thereto a bevel gear 20 disposed within a housingdesignated generally by the reference A. As-will be clear from aninspection of Fig. 2, the stati' 17 1s suitably journaled in anextension21 of the housing A, said extension accommodating said bevel gear 20.Also mounted within the housing A is another bevel gear 22 looselymounted on a suitable stud shaft 23 which extends horizontally and 4ismounted in any suitable bearings provided by the housing vRigid with thebevel gear 22 and yrotatable in unison with the latter is a spiral gear24, the pitch of which gradually increases from its low point 1ndicatedat 25 to the high point indicated at 26. Said spiral gear 24 willordinarily extend through an arc of approximately 30()o and vin actualpractice, I prefer that a portion vof said spiral gear ati the maximumpitch as mdicated at 27 shall be of uniform vpitch through an are of sayapproximately 90. It will be evident, however, that the pitch of theqsaid gear may 'be uniformly increased throughout the entire length ofvsaid gear 'without in any wise/affecting the princlple-'of myinvention.

Said spiral gear 24 meshes with a rack gear 28 formed on one edge-o asuitable block or casting 29. The'lattfer has one vertically arrangededge 3 0 in proximityto the corresponding vertical wall 31 of thehousing A. The rack gear 28 has one section thereof, as for instancebetween the points 32 and 33 to cooperate with 'that portion of thespiral gear which is of uniform pitch. From' the, point 33 to the lowerend of the block 29, as indicated at 34, the rack gear 28 is arrangedinclined so as to make the lower end of said block 29 sub'- stantiallyWedge shaped. VThe inclination of the rack gear between the points 33and 34 is ofcourse designed so as to cooperate with the spiral gear 24at all times. Tode- .crease the friction and facilitate operation of thebrake, I preferably form the wall 31 of the housing and the opposedadjacent vertical edge of the block 29 with vertically alined groovesorraceways 35-35 to accom-. modate a plurality of anti-friction ballsSti- 36.

The housing A, preferab y in the form of a casting, is formed` with asemi-cylindrical extension 37 to accommodate the bevel and spiralv gear24 as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. Said housing also has a spitablelower extension indicated at 38 to accommodate the rack block 29 andanupward extension 39 to accommodate, the upper end of said rack block 29when it is elevated. The details of construction of said housing A mayof course be varied as desired but for ease of application, Iprefistaken up,

erably form the VVsamek with av detachable inner plate 40 and the. mainportion of the housing A with laterally extended perforated ears orianges 41 so that the housing can be bolted to the end wall of the car.The lowerextension 38 of the housing A is perforated .as indicated at141 to accommodate a vertically extending rod 42 which also passesthrough the ,lower end 43 of the rack block 29 and is secured thereto inany suitable manner as by the nut 44 accommodated in a suitable recess45 in the block 29.- The rod 42 preferably has a turn buckle 46 includedtherein whereby to adjust the length of said rod and consequently takeup slack in the brake chain 13 or let out the brake chain, it beingunderstood that said rod 42v is' attached to the brake chain asindicated at 47.

The operation is as follows.

The lengthof brake chain or slack therein will be properly adjusted asby means of the turnbuckle 46 so that, when the brakes are oi and thebrake chain is in its correspondingnormal position, the relationY of therack gear 28 and spiral gear 24 will be as shown most clearly in Fig. 3.To apply the brakes, the brakeman turns the hand wheel 16 in the usualmanner which motionY will of course be communicated through the bevelgears 20 and 22 to the spiral gear 24. As the latter rotates in acounter-clockwise direction, it is evident that the rack block 29 willbe elevated and during the initial portion of the operation, said rackblock 29 will be elevated at maximum speed due to the fact that thatportion of the spiral gear in engagement with the. rack block is ofmaximum pitch. Consequently, the lslack in the chain will be taken up raidly and asl the slack the spee of rotation and movement of the racklblock 29 will be gradually lessened as the pitch of the spiral gear 24gradually decreaseswhile in mesh with the inclined section of the rackgear 28 between loo the points 33 and 34. Inother words, while the laterportions of the operationvwill be at `slower speed the leverage ratio ofthe yapplication of power will be correspondingly gradually increased sothat the maximum leverage ratio inthe application of the power isobtained at the last end of the operation. When the brake chain has beensuiciently tensioned the "brakemanwill of course lock the same in theusual manner by throwing in` the locking. dog 19. The brakes arereleased inthe usual manner by throwing out the locking dog 19.Referring tothe construction in Figs.- 5, 6 and "Z, the end walletp theboa car is indicated at 110, the ro'or" at `111., the platform at 112and the brakechain at 113. In this construction, the brake 'chain windsabout a drum 15 of relatively large diameter, theA diameter being suchthat the illustrated dll titl

full winding movements of the chain shall occur in approximately aone-halt -or slightly more than a one-halt revolution ot the verticalbrake stall' 51 to which the drum 50 is of course rigidly secured at itslower end. Y Said stad1 51 is suitably journaled at its lower end in adepending; bracket 52 in a nell l-rnoivn manner. 'lhe hand Wheel 116 isol the usual form and is secured to a` short stall1 11'? that passesthrough the platform 112 and has secured thereto the usual ratchet wheel118 with which cooperates the toot controlled locking dog 119.

Beneath the platform 112 and preferably secured to its under side, is ahousing castino; A of shallow rectangular formation. Said housing;casting A is provided with a suitable heuiin5-;r llange 53 lor thelevier end 11?7 and `with another hearingq flange 5t for the upper endot the stall' 51. Keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to the stall 117within the housing A' isan eccentrically mounted gear wheel 124i. rThelatter meshes with another gear wheel 128 eccentrically mounted onandpprelerably keyed to the upper end of the stall' 51. ln thisarrangement, adjustment ot slaclr vin the bralre chain 113 may beobtained in any suitable manner, preferably' by including an adjustabletuinbuclrle or linlr' within the chain itself.

The operation of the construction illustrated in Figs 5, 6 and 7 is asfollows. 'llie parts will he correlated so that the eccentric gears 1211and 126 will occupy the position most clearly indicated in llig. 6 whenthe bralre ychain 113 is in its normal slaclr or untensioned position.lo apply the brakes, the bralreman turns the hand Wheel 116 in the usualmanner' so as to rotate the gear wheel 1241 in the direction asindicated by the arrow a in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 6. the gear wheels124 and 128, at the. beginning ot the brake applying operation, are sodisposed that the maximum distance fromthe axis ol the stad' 117 to thepoint of mesh ol the gear wheel 12d `with the ar wheel 128 obtains, and,reversely, the minimum distance from the anis oil the mad 51 to thepoint ot mesh ot the i ear Wheel 126 obtains. Consequently, as t e gearWheel 12a is rotated the leverage ratio `will be at a minimum at thebeginning but the speed ot rotation imparted to the gear wheel 126 willhe at a maximum. LThis condition gradually uniformly changes as the gearwheel 126 is rotated until one-hall revolution has occurred at whichpoint the leverage viously loe at a maximum and the speed of rotation otthe stati? 51 at a minimum. The bralre `will he loclred in the usualmanner by tlnroninp7 in the loot controlled do 119.

ln the construction illustrated in liga. 6 and 9, the same generalmechanisme io emratio ol the applied power will ob- Y 5,6 and 7, the

lare so termed as to provide suitable bearings for two vertically spacedshafts 62 and 63, said shafts extending horizontally. llrithin thehousing the shalt 62 has keyed or otherwise rigidly secured thereto aneccentrically disposed ,gear wheel 22d and theu shalt 63 has anothereccentrically disposed gear vrheel 226 he ed or otherwise rigidlysecured thereto. glad shalt 63 also has secured thereto a chain Winding7drum 250 ot relatively large diameter to which the upper end ol thebralre chain 213 is attached. Said brake chain is passed around a sheavewheel 21d in the same manner as shown and described with respect toFig. 1. Anv suitable means lor adjusting the length uot the brake chain213 will he emplo ed as `will be understood. Secured to the s att 62outside of thehousing is a ratchet Wheel tit with which cooperates areterably gravity controlled paal 65 pivote ly mounted on an o eratingever 66. 'lhe latter is oscillateb y mounted on the outer end ol theshalt 62 as clearly appears from the drawing. lior the safety ol thebralreman and to prevent the operating lever 66 being7 suddenly thrownaround when the breites are released, as hereinalter described, lpreferably employ a lug 67ion the outside ot the housingr so arranged inthe ath ol the pavvl 65 that it will automatica ly throw the latter outot engament with the ratchet Wheel 6d when the operating lever reaches apredetermined iosition as, lor instance, `when it is incline upwardlyand away. trom the bralteman at an angle ol about 45 with the vertical,as indicated by the dotted position ot the lever in lig. 16. v

The shalt 6d has secured thereto preferably outside ot the housing aratchet wheel 66 with which cooperates a gravity controlled loclrinig,rdop; 69 pivotally mounted on the housing. Said loclring dogg obviouslycan be disengaged by the braliemans loot in a manner similar to themethod ot disensagement in the more common torni of locln ini;I dog.

lhe operation ot the construction shown in Figa. 8 and 6 will heunderstood from the previous description given el the construction shownin Figa. o. 6 and "l, it heine; observed that the relative positions otthe eccentric gear wheels 22d und 226 is the nume as ot the @ear Wheelsin 12d und 128 when the parte are in normal or released condition.

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-of a bracket adapted combination with ahousing In the structure shownin Figs. 8 and 9, thev brakes are of course applied step by step by aidof the pawl and ratchet device and under some conditions is preferableto the use of the hand wheel shown in the' other two forms of myinvention.

Although I have herein shown and' de-v scribed what I nowA consider thepreferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merelyillustrative and I contemplate all changes and vmodifications as comewithin the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a hand brake for railway cars, the combination with thebrakerigging proper;

to be secured .t0 a portion of the car; a rack slidably mounted on saidbracket, said rack being operatively connected with said brake riggingproper, said rack having teeth extending at an angle to the line ofmovement of the rack; an eccentrically mounted gear cooperating withsaid rack; and manually operable means for effecting rotation of saidgear, including a shaft extending parallel to said line of movement.

2. In a hand brake for railway cars, the bracket adapted to be securedto the end wall of a car; a rack gear verticaiiy slidably mounted withinsaid housing bracket, said rack gear havi teeth on the operative facethereof exten ing at an incline to the vertical, the brake riggingproper adapted to be operatively connected with the lower end of saidrack gear; an eecentrically mounted gear cooperable with said rochgeorg, and manuaiiy operabie inea for enacting rotation oi said eccen- QLatviao tricgear including a shaft extending parallel to' said lineA ofmovement.

3. In a hand brake for railway cars, the combination with ahousingbracket adapted to be secured to the end wall of a car; a rack gearslidably mounted within said housing bracket, said rack gear havingteeth on the operative face thereof extending for a part of their lengthin a line parallel to the line of .movement of the rack gear and foranother part of their length at an incline to said line of movement, thebrake rigging proper being adapted to be operatively connected with oneend of said rack gear; an eccentrically mounted gear eooperable withlsaid rack gear; and manually operable means for effecting rotation ofsaid eccentric gear, said means including a stai, a beveled gear mountedon the staff, and a second beveled gear cooperable therewith androtatable in unison with the eccentric gear.

4. In a hand b'rake for railway cars, the combination with a housingbracketadapted to be secured to the end wall of a car; arack gearslidably mounted within said housing, said rack gear having teeththereon arranged at an angle to the'line of movement of said rack gear,the brake rigging proper being adapted to be operatively connected tosaid rack gear; antifriction bearings between said rack gear and thehousing; an eccentric gear rotatably mounted within said housing andcooperable with said rack gear; and manually loperable means foreffecting rotation of said eccentric gear.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 14th day or? Juiy i919.

BMCHARD WEBB BURNETT.

